How A Computer Works

1 Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson…

  • All Should Be able to describe how a CPU carries out instructions via the LMC.
  • Most Should Be able to write a program in assembly language to subtract two numbers.
  • Some Could Be able to create an algorithm to simulate the Fibonacci Sequence.
  • Some Could Be able to write a program in assembly language from their Fibonacci Sequence algorithm.

2 More than just data

Learn It

  • In the last lesson you saw how we can write bits of data to RAM.
  • So if we have an address that is 8 bits in length we can write values up to 255 (11111111) to any given address in RAM.
  • In reality, modern computers have far larger address spaces, and 64bit of data (and more) can be written to a single address.

Learn It

  • The bits that are written to an address are not always considered data though.
  • Sometimes when a CPU is accessing RAM, the bits in an address represent an instruction rather than just a number.

3 The Little Man Computer

Learn It

  • Below is a simulation of how a CPU can carry out instructions.
  • For now, ignore the section on the left titled Assembley Language Code.
  • The section titled RAM is where we'll focus.
  • When the program starts, the Program Counter is set to 0. The CPU then fetches an instruction from address 0
  • After each instruction is executed, the program counter is increased by 1.
  • This means the next address location is read.
  • Sometimes an instruction can branch, meaning the program counter jumps to another address.
  • Here are a list of the instructions that can be accepted.
Instruction What it does
1xx Add value in address xx to the value in the accumulator
2xx Subtract value in address xx from the value in the accumulator
3xx Store the value of the accumulator to address xx
5xx Load the value from address xx to the accumulato
6xx Set the program counter to address xx
7xx If the accumulator contains the value 0 then set the counter to address xx
8xx If the accumulator contains a value greater than 0 then set the counter to address xx
901 Store user input into the accumulator
902 Output the value in the accumulator
000 Halt the program

Try It

  • Lets write a little program using these instructions and see what happens.
  • Fill in the RAM with the instructions as shown in the table below:
Address Instruction What it will do
00 901 Take input and load it into the accumulator
01 902 Output the value from the accumulator

-It should look like this

  • You must hit ENTER after inputing each code into the RAM address.

LMC1.png

  • Run your program by hitting the RUN button and see what it does.
  • Watch the little Android. She'll tell you what is happening.
  • If you want to run it again, you'll need to hit the RESET, or you can change the Program Counter to 0

4 Assessment

Badge It - Silver

  • Write down what happens when you run the simple program. You can use the list below as a start.
    1. The value in the PROGRAM COUNTER is sent to ARITHMETIC UNIT and to that address in RAM.
    2. The value in the ARITHMETIC UNIT is increased by 1 and sent back to the PROGRAM COUNTER
    3. The value at address 0 in RAM is sent to the the INSTRUCTION REGISTER and the ADDRESS REGISTER

5 Some Basic Maths.

Try It

  • Let's try something a little more complicated now.
  • Add these values into the RAM addresses and hit RUN
Address Instruction What it will do
00 901 Take input and load it into the accumulator
01 350 Store the input value in address 50
02 901 Take input and load it into the accumulator
03 150 Add the value in address 50 to the value in the accumulator
04 902 Output the value from the accumulator
  • It should look like this

LMC2.png

  • Can you explain what is happening?

6 Assessment

Badge It - Gold

  • Can you write a program that will subtract two numbers.
  • So if the first value A is provided, then a second value B is provided, then A-B will be output.
  • Try it with the first value entered of 10 and the second of 6, and make sure that 4 is output.

7 Counting with the LMC

  • Let's try counting with the LMC down from ten.
Address Instruction What it will do
00 901 Take input and load it into the accumulator
01 350 Store the input in address 50
02 550 Load the data from address 50
03 251 Subtract the value in address 51
04 350 Store the value at address 50
05 902 Output value
06 802 If value is greater than zero, set PC to address 02
51 1 Value to be subtracted

8 Assessment

Badge It - Platinum

1,1

  • You then add these numbers to get the next value in the sequence.

1,1,2

  • You can now add 1 + 2 to get the next.

1,1,2,3

  • And keep going.

1,1,2,3,5,8,13...

  • Can you write an LMC program that outputs the Fibonacci Squence.
  • (HINT the code 6 will reset the PROGRAM COUNTER to what ever address you like. For instance 600 will reset it to address 000)